Digital BW, The Print

Hello John,

According to Diana York of Hawk Mtn papers, there are different kinds
of OBAs and the OBA technology is constantly improving.  I've also
gathered from some research that OBAs "burn off" (not a trade term,
BTW) in different ways, or with different effects.  Some may lose some
reflectivity (not be as bright) but not change color significantly. 
Some papers have OBAs in the paper and the coating, some only in the
coating (but who knows what that means...).  According to Diana, the
paper can't get any yellower than it was to begin with.  She said in
their papers they use white colored fibers to begin with, so that
there shouldn't be a dramatic color change (please see the OBA section
in the "Great Paper Chase" article at the link below).

My own experience with two of their papers bears this out.  I have
noticed that prints on Condor BW (pure white) lose some brightness
after a few months exposure (comparing an old print with a fresh one),
but haven't (so far) shown any color change - the print doesn't look
degraded or yellow, just a tad softer on the eyes.   With Merlin
Smooth, a warmer color to begin with, I haven't noticed any change at
all.  Of course, none of this is scientific and only spans about a
year.  We don't know what will happen over many years. 

All of the above, however enlightening, tells us nothing, really.  In
the various papers we use, we don't know what kinds of OBAs are used,
or how much, whether it's in the paper, coating or both, or what will
happen over time.  That detailed information doesn't seem to be
available.  

I'm not terribly worried about it myself.  One reason is that I've got
some silver prints on OBA containing paper (Oriental Seagull, etc)
that have been laying around for 20 years and they still look
extremely bright.   Also, my windowsill ink fade tests on PR prints,
some of which have been receiving bright daylight and partial sunlight
every day for over a year, have shown ink fading but not paper color
change under the cover strips.  My feeling is that these papers are
using the latest in OBA technology, and I just don't expect to see
significant changes.  I know I'm taking a chance, but I really don't
like the look of the warmer papers as much.

Everyone is going to have to make up their own mind based
on...whatever.


Regards,
Clayton


Info on black and white digital printing at    
http://www.cjcom.net/digiprnarts.htm